Three Imaginary Girls recommend Saturday night

I’ve been writing this column for TIG weekly for most of 2008 and I don’t remember recommending four shows on the same night — mostly because the science isn’t in yet that will allow me to be in four places at once. Yet this is a fantastic week for rock music (even if it means saying good bye to one of the most enjoyable bands in the northwest). There are even another half dozen events I could easily mention (including The Grand Illusion Theater showing Anatomy of a Murder, the best Jimmy Stewart movie not directed by Alfred Hitchcock), so really that aren’t any bad options for Saturday night. Hell, with Tina Fey’s uncanny impression of Sarah Palin, “Saturday Night Live” has been funnier than it has been in years.

A Gun That Shoots Knives CD release, The Trucks, “Awesome” at Chop Suey, Saturday, October 11

Just last week it was announced that The Trucks are breaking up and this will be their last Seattle show. The Bellingham all-girl band has been a band that I’ve enjoyed listening to over the past few years. Their songs are lo-fi dance pop numbers that make their crowds shake their asses and laugh at the same time. Their songs are simple but easy to groove to and sing along with — and they’re overtly sexual but good-natured and fun. I’ve seen both good and bad shows from The Trucks, but never any that are dull or uninteresting. They do have a big, devoted fan base of people that love them. If you’re one of them, you’ll definitely want to be at Chop Suey on Saturday night.

Here’s the video to their single “Zombie”:

A Drink for the Kids Finale at Neumo’s, Saturday, October 11

A Drink for the Kids is a great idea: for a whole week several area bars are donating portions of their booze sales to directly benefit the Vera Project. Tonight that comes to a close with a big event at Neumo’s that features The Ruby Suns, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band (the Seattle band who was named one of Stereogum’s Bands to Watch before they even played a Seattle show earlier this year) and a special, secret guest headliner that we all know now (or should) is Tokyo Police Club.

Earlier in the year I saw TPC (also at Neumo’s) and really enjoyed their fun show. It was like one hour long rock song full of energy and excitement. The mostly teenage crowd loved every second of their set — maybe even loved it too much because I wrote in my review “remember kids: slam dancing should be like sex, it’s only acceptable if everyone involved consents.” This night the 21+ crowd with have to try to match the younger crowds’ enthusiasm, but the more they drink, the more the kids benefit. How often does that happen?

Rat City Ruckus at the Fun House, Saturday, October 11

Rock and roll is best enjoyed in a punk club like the Fun House, rocking out while drinking cheap beer and while bumping into one another, spilling said cheap beer and maybe shouting “woo!!” and maybe giving high fives to the person rocking out next to you. Or maybe that’s the ideal. Anyway, Rat City Ruckus is a rock band in the best sense of the word — big classic rock power chord-driven without an ounce of pretentiousness. Or maybe their Myspace page sums it up best: “we play music; we piss off the neighbors; we piss off the cops; we piss off your balcony.”

The Doll Test, The Young Sportsmen and The Riffbrokers CD release at Jules Maes Saloon, Saturday, October 11

This show features three of the best powerpop bands in the northwest — and all have put out fantastic records in 2008 (The Riffbrokers are celebrating the release of theirs this evening). If you like catchy rock music, loud guitars and intelligent lyrics, this is your “can’t miss” show. Each band delivers exciting live shows that compliment their well-written and well-constructed songs.